fachada
nounCEFR B2
What does “fachada” mean in English?
1.the front, outer wall of a building, especially its main face
2.a false or deceptive outward appearance that hides the true nature of someone or something
Example sentences
Restauraron la fachada del edificio histórico respetando su estilo original del siglo XIX.
They restored the historic building's façade, respecting its original nineteenth-century style.
Detrás de esa fachada de tranquilidad se escondía una empresa al borde de la quiebra.
Behind that facade of calm lay a company on the verge of bankruptcy.
How to use it
La fachada (noun, feminine) is literally the 'façade' or front of a building: restaurar la fachada, una fachada de piedra. Figuratively, at B2, it means a deceptive front or front: su seguridad es solo una fachada (his confidence is just a front). Both senses are extremely common.
Common mistake
Fachada in the figurative sense (a false front, pretence) is unrelated to English 'fashion' despite superficial similarity in sound — moda is the Spanish word for fashion.
Topics
Related B2 words
Reference
This entry’s teaching guidance follows Plan Curricular del Instituto Cervantes (Instituto Cervantes), B2 Nociones específicas: vivienda y arqu.